Christmas comes and goes in a flurry of gift giving (and receiving), enjoying the sweets of the season, time spent with family. The build up is big, the days are over so quickly - but the spirit of the season remains: "The true beauty of Christmas is revealed when we adore the season, not like some weary adult, but like a bubbly little child." - Michael Bassey Johnson May the spirit of Christmas linger in your homes and in your hearts. :) Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

May the peace of the season be reflected in your soul; may the memories you hold dear visit you during this holiday season. I heard the bells on Christmas day, Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet, The words repeat, Of peace on earth, good will to men. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

When we think of Christmas what truly means the most, it often is less about the gifts and more about the connection. This quote reflects that very sentiment: "Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas." - Peg Bracken Photo by Erwan Hesry on Unsplash

For this Christmas season, a favourite quote: A little smile, a word of cheer, A bit of love from someone near, A little gift from one held dear, Best wishes for the coming year, These make a Merry Christmas. - John Greenleaf Whittier May you all enjoy the peace that this time of year brings. It is often the simplest of blessings that mean the most. Photo by Mariana B. on Unsplash

I came across this lovely poem by Erin Hanson about what we are and what we aren't: Not. You are not your age, Nor the size of clothes you wear, You are not a weight, Or the colour of your hair. You are not your name, Or the dimples in your cheeks. You are all the books you read, And all the words you speak, You are your croaking morning voice, And the smiles you try to hide, You're the sweetness in your laughter, And every tear you've cried. You're the songs you sing so loud

Stephen Covey, in his best selling book entitled "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," spoke about emotional bank accounts. Covey's concept of an emotional bank account refers to the effectiveness of our relationships with others. Very much like a financial bank account, we can either make deposits or withdrawals - deposits will create greater bonds with others, withdrawals lead to damage and depletion of the relationship. His theory includes 6 major deposits: Understa

There is often an opposite energy attraction in our intimate relationships. People who lack confidence for example, are often attracted to those who have it. Introverts tend to attract extroverts, passive personalities will often be paired with dominant personalities. Sometimes the differences are linked to a quality (such as shyness), a value (financially secure) or a temperament trait (sensitivity). In any case, we often unknowingly attract ourselves to someone who provide

Even with the onset of winter, we can recognize the importance of getting outside. Here are five nature quotes to inspire: "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." - Ralph Waldo Emerson "When your world moves too fast and you lose yourself in the chaos, introduce yourself to each color of the sunset. Reacquaint yourself with the earth beneath your feet. Thank the air that surrounds you with every breath you take. Find yourself in the appreciation of life." - Christ

One of my favourite quotes that I use in therapy comes from the movie Dumbo, featuring the lovable, Disney character born with larger-than-life ears. Having been mercilessly teased for his big ears, he has learned to dislike his appearance and his growing lack of self-worth reinforces what becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy; Dumbo begins to feel and act as a bumbling, useless elephant who can't get anything right. Eventually separated from his mother, he befriends a mouse who

There are many times in therapy when a client is finally able to share a secret that they have held onto since childhood. The air becomes palpable with relief, the client expresses how the space around them feels lighter, and there are often tears indicative of their loss. When we are children, we internalize everything. When trauma occurs, when we witness something or are a victim of something that we understand is 'wrong,' we automatically feel that somehow it must be our

There is no doubt we live in an extroverted society; there tends to be a greater value placed on being social, outgoing and gregarious. I have noticed in my practice that often times when I mention to someone the possibility that they might be a tad more on the introverted end of the scale, there is almost a look of doubt on their faces. The reality about introversion that it is not about being reclusive or hermit-like and it is not about “hating people.” The biggest differen

Yesterday's post explored 5 facts about indifference. Sometimes we can be indifferent in our relationship, sometimes we can lean into it when it comes to a specific situation such as our health - in any case, the first step is to recognize the indifference and how it might be affecting us in both the short and long term. It is often easy to overlook the little things we used to do to take care of our loved ones, or ourselves, but this will create a cumulative effect, and bef

Indifference is defined as lack of interest, concern or sympathy . It can be what feels like a global trait, or it can be quite specific to a person or situation. Here are 5 facts about indifference: Indifference can develop as a way to protect ourselves. If we grew up in a home in which we were emotionally neglected, we can often appear 'cold' to those around us; we can even surprise ourselves at times with lack of what would be considered appropriate feelings. Overexposure

Although I would say that feeling accepted is one of the greatest boosters to our emotional health, I would say feeling appreciated is a close second. When we are acknowledged for the deeds we embark on that help or aid others - whether that be at home, in our families, at work, or in the community - we feel strengthened and supported. And just as important as being appreciated is showing appreciation. When we consciously make a point to appreciate, we build trust in our rel

What a lovely reminder by Christy Ann Martine that we can take the time to reset our systems through the ever graceful calm of nature: When your world moves too fast and you lose yourself to the chaos, introduce yourself to each color of the sunset. Reacquaint yourself with the earth beneath your feet. Thank the air that surrounds you with every breath you take. Find yourself in the appreciation of life. - Christy Ann Martine Photo by Dawid Zawiła on Unsplash

Anger is a universal emotion; when we see an angry face, we are able to instantly recognize the emotion. It is also our safest emotion; we know not to 'poke an angry bear.' Anger is a useful emotion in that it produces an action; it also provides relief. Anger however, is only productive when it is in our control; as soon as it moves to aggression (raised voice, yelling, hitting, name calling, etc.) it is no longer in our control and then works against us. When that “angry b

Sometimes we have a hard time accepting something and as a result we lean into eternal hope. That place where anything is possible; where miracles can happen and what we wish for will come true. Perhaps we hope that a relationship will improve, or an outcome will come out in our favour - perhaps we realize that the boundaries we put in place are respected, or our expectations that someone will change will come to pass. Although eternal hope is usually linked to our emotion br

If there are two things that have been confirmed to me as a therapist, it is that we like plan and purpose. We feel better when moving forward (no matter the pace), and when the essence of our being aligns with purpose. We feel comforted by meaning - in our work, play, family life, community. One of the ways to achieve this is through volunteering with an organization or cause that is dear to us. Being service oriented allows us to focus on other; to make a difference: Volunt

I love the thought behind this quote: " What if your fairy godmother is the wisest, smartest version of your self - whispering from the future? -Blissimo" One thing that I know for sure is that I am certainly a wiser version of myself at 54. The knowledge and experiences that we gather along the way help to inform our decisions, allow us to be more aware of our surroundings and can definitely help us to not feel quite so defenseless when faced with adversity. Perhaps what a

Who would have thought that Newton's First Law of Physics was going to be useful in helping to understand the cycle of depression? But his Law of Inertia is often a good way to comprehend how depression can take hold of us. Depression uses two ways to keep us in it's grip. One is through isolation; it likes to isolate us from the activities we like to enjoy and the people we like to spend time with. The second way is that depression kills effort; we often feel a change in